Unveiling the secrets

of 200G/400G optical
transceivers
Validation of high-speed optical interfaces

app
note
Unveiling the secrets of 200G/400G optical
transceivers
Validation of high-speed optical interfaces
app
note
By Aldo Gutierrez, PhD.
and Anabel Alarcon,
Product Specialists,
EXFO
Table of contents
Introduction...................................... 2
How to best validate 400G
transceivers? .................................. 2
From NRZ to PAM4 .................................3
Forward Error Correction (FEC): error
detection and correction.........................5
Automated validation with iOptics.. 6
1. Power consumption monitoring.........6
2. Optical device I/O interface
quick check..........................................6
3. Temperature monitoring......................6
4. Optical TX power level range test.......6
5. Optical RX signal presence
and power level range test...................7
6. Stress test............................................7
7. Excessive skew test.............................7
Summary.......................................... 8
Introduction
400G technologies are currently being rolled out thanks to advances in optical communications.
However, this rapid data rate evolution is also stressing the development of network
components, mainly pluggable optical transceivers—making it longer to achieve stable
designs. Due to the wide-range presence of alpha and beta units in networks, the validation of
transceivers is nowadays a highly-recommended task prior to installation and turn-up.
To meet the growing demands of traffic, transceiver vendors have adopted 4-level pulse
amplitude modulation (PAM4) to implement 8 lanes of 50G or 4 lanes of 100G for different
variants of OSFP and QSFP-DD, as an alternative to classical nonreturn-to-zero (NRZ)-based
interfaces. The novel optical transceiver architectures support the transmission up to 400
Gbit/s Ethernet data over either multiwavelength or parallel fibers. However, the multilevel
modulation involves a higher complexity for analysis, equalization and validation.
As a result, it is more complex to validate 400G interfaces because users must consider
several aspects of the device under test (DUT) that can drastically impact performance
(e.g., power consumption, temperature, skew and last stress test).
This application note presents the guidelines to perform the electrical and optical validation
of 400G transceivers by using EXFO’s most recent 400G solution, the FTBx-88460. Technical
tips are also provided to help you in this challenging task.
How to best validate 400G transceivers?
The validation of the quality of transceivers includes several electrical and optical tests.
However, the setups are quite complex and expensive. Transceiver vendors are always on
the lookout for simplified solutions capable to provide an accurate evaluation of bit error
rate (BER), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), temperature, electrical power consumption and optical
power at the transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) side, among others.
Most of the electrical signals of transceivers that are analyzed during the validation process
are strongly related parameters of the eye diagram, such as the eye height, eye width and eye
symmetry mask width. The modulation format in transmission, either NRZ or PAM4, rules the
procedure to carry out the validation of the transceiver.
Over the past months, we have observed one request that keeps coming from network
equipment manufacturers (NEMs), data centers and research labs. It is the development
of tools for the analysis of the pluggable performance. Responding to these needs, EXFO
has designed a solution that enables a comprehensive validation of transceivers, including
electrical/optical tests, it also allows the enhancement of the transmitted signals by applying
pre-emphasis procedures and Forward Error Correction (FEC) at Tx and compensating the
losses with Equalization methods at Rx. The following sections cover key compliance tests
using the FTBx-88640 module.
© 2020 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 2
 application note

From NRZ to PAM4

Until recently, NRZ encoding has been historically the base of telecommunication networks.
However, the need to optimize and to scale the network rates has led to implement multilevel
pulsed amplitude encoding, being PAM4 the widest employed so far and its implementation
is considered a milestone laying the foundations of the 100G and 400G transceivers.
NRZ is a two-level modulation technique, represented by logic 0 and logic 1. On the other
hand, PAM4 encodes four levels, represented by four combinations of two bits logic:
00, 01, 10 and 11. In order to highlight the differences between both encoding techniques,
the same bit stream (0,0,0,1,1,0,1,1,0,0,1,1,0,1) is represented in the figure below, using NRZ
and PAM4 respectively:

NRZ is a two voltage levels modulation technique, represented by logic 0 and logic 1. On
the other hand, PAM4 encodes four voltage levels, represented by four combinations of two
bits logic: 00, 01, 10 and 11. In order to highlight the differences between both encoding
techniques, the same bit stream (0,0,0,1,1,0,1,1,0,0,1,1,0,1) is represented in Figure 1, using
The advantages NRZ and PAM4, respectively:

of PAM4 are
counterweighted by
the complexity to
Figure 1. Waveforms and eye diagram representation for NRZ and PAM4 signals.
handle and analyze a
The PAM4 eye diagram presents three eye openings and four levels, as can be noticed in
four-level system. Figure 1. By increasing the number of levels of pulse-amplitude encoding, PAM4 doubles the
number of bits per slot in serial data transmissions, which means that the density of data is
doubled with respect to NRZ encoding, also the efficiency of Bandwidth (BW) is enhanced
by two and the transmission cost is reduced.
PAM4 conveys 2 bits per symbol, thereby the bits-per-second rate is twice the symbol rate
(also known as Baud). In current 50GE, 200GE and 400GE standards using PAM4 modulation
at the electrical interface for instance, the symbol rate is 26.56 GBd corresponding to
53 Gbit/s. However, at the optical interface 400G-DR4 as an example uses 100 Gbit/s (with
a corresponding 53 GBd PAM4).
The advantages of PAM4 are counterweighted by the complexity to handle and analyze a
four-level system. In fact, one of the biggest concerns is that the SNR is reduced at least by
factor 3 compared to NRZ, mainly because of the amplitude opening of the three PAM4-eyes.
According to the IEEE 802.3bs standard, FEC has become mandatory in 200G and 400G
interfaces due to the dramatic SNR drop. In this context, FEC provides the performance
margin necessary to achieve a healthy BER value.
The FTBx-88460 module comes with an EtherBERT application, which allows the execution
of BER test and the traffic generation of framed Ethernet from layer 2 to 4 and unframed
4, 8 and 16 for 200GAUI and 400GAUI interfaces. The unframed multilane testing in
EtherBERT, provides a quick way to ensure that the link is condition appropriately, supporting
the different patterns such as PRBS13Q, PRBS31Q and SSPRQ.
In addition, the FTBx-88460’s GUI features a PAM4 histogram (shown in Figure 2), a reference
tool for representing the 4 electrical levels of the modulation, enabling the real time PAM4
analysis per lane. As can be noticed in Figure 2, the PAM4 electrical levels and the eye
openings represented in the histogram chart, have been 90° counterclockwise rotated with
respect to the eye diagram.

© 2020 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 3

 application note

Figure 2. FTBx-88460’s PAM4 histogram tool.

The FTBx-88460 also offers a suite for the pre-emphasis and equalization stages. This set
of tools allows the user to adjust the Tx and the Rx parameters in order to transmit the
maximum amount of information with the minimum amount of errors possible. By tuning
the Tx and the Rx parameters of 200G and 400G PAM4-based transceivers, the eye-opening
can be enhanced and finally verified with in the PAM4 histogram chart.
Pre-emphasis allows an analog enhancement of the signal being sent to the optical module.
The TX signal manipulation is done per electrical lane improving the amplitude of each of the
PAM4 eyes. The tuning to the Tx signal includes the relationship between the Pre, Main and
Post cursor for a better definition of the three eyes on the PAM4 diagram per lane.
Equalization is the data filtering process applied on the Rx side, that attempts to reverse the
distortion incurred by a signal transmitted through a channel. Equalization is useful in data
communications to compensate the attenuation caused by the loss coming from line (either
fiber, copper or even network elements back plane).
Continuous time linear equalization (CTLE) is one of the most popular equalizations
implemented for PAM4 signals. It is a linear filter that boosts high-frequency signal
components. CTLE is effective for reducing intersymbol interference (ISI). The gain of CTLE
is commonly expressed in dB.

Figure 3. Example of Rx equalization using CTLE in a PAM4 interface.

© 2020 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 4

 application note

In the FTBx-88460’s GUI, the CTLE can be combined with different modes of digital signal
processing (DSP) to optimize the loss compensation. The DSP modes implemented for this
end are the following:
− Feedforward equalizer (FFE): provides equalization between the main pulse and the pre-
and post-cursor, using least mean squares (LMS) algorithm.
− Decision-feedback equalizer (DFE): provides equalization for the main pulse without
using LMS algorithm.
− Reflection canceller (RC): reduces the group-delay effects.
− Slicer (SLC): compares the FFE output with specific internal thresholds.
− Level-dependent equalizer (LDEQ): specifically equalizes two inner levels of the PAM4 eye.

Forward Error Correction (FEC): error detection and correction

The FEC is a digital signal processing method of correcting errors that can occur on a serial
link. For its implementation, a codeword is formed when the transmitter’s encoder adds
parity bits (redundant extra bits) to the original block message, then the receiver can detect
incurred errors during transmission and automatically correct them without retransmission
of data. The FEC has been defined as mandatory in the specifications for 400G Ethernet,
according to the IEEE 802.3bs task group.
The FTBx-88460 features a FEC tool based on the Reed Salomon coding, also known as
RS (544, 514), for which the codeword is structured with 544 symbols, where 514 symbols
are dedicated for payload and 30 symbols for parity. This type of FEC can correct up to
15 symbols in error per codeword.
The FEC statistics graph is a reference metric displaying the distribution of the number of
errored symbols per correctable codeword, considering that a correctable codeword can
have from 1 to 15 errored symbols. The metric is made of 15 bins each giving the count of
events where a correctable codeword was detected with the associated number of symbols
in error, as can be seen in the figure below. The ratio between codeword count and the total
of correctable codewords is presented in percentage.

Figure 4. Distribution of the number of errored symbols per correctable codeword in the FTBx-88460.

© 2020 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 5

 application note

In the FTBx-88460, PAM4 signals are by default coded in gray (binary-reflected) for facilitating
the error correction, as referred in the IEEE and OIF recommendations.

Decimal Binary Gray (Binary-reflected)

0 00 00
1 01 01
2 10 11
3 11 10

Figure 5. Equivalence between decimal, binary and Gray encoding.

iOptics is now Automated validation with iOptics

Moving forward towards the field of intelligent testing solutions, EXFO has designed iOptics,
available in the an automated application that provides a quick and easy validation of additional parameters
FTBx-88460 for of the transceiver that are essential for transporting information. iOptics is now available in
the FTBx-88460 for testing of 200GAUI and 400GAUI interfaces.
testing of 200GAUI iOptics, includes the following 7 subtests:
and 400GAUI
1. Power consumption monitoring
interfaces. The power consumption monitoring measures the current and the power drawn by the
selected optical device. This monitoring is performed for the entire duration of the test,
following which a pass verdict is obtained if the maximum power was equal to or less than
the power threshold over the entire duration of the test.

2. Optical device I/O interface quick check

The optical device I/O interface quick check validates the MDIO/ I2C and hardware-pin
operation using a sample of common commands and controls applied to the selected optical
device. The verdict provided by this test is therefore a combination of the MDIO/I2C interface
test and the control/status pin check results.

3. Temperature monitoring
Temperature monitoring determines the internal temperature of an optical device in degrees
Celsius until the end of the test. A pass verdict is obtained if the maximum temperature is
equal to or less than the temperature threshold over the entire duration of the test.

4. Optical TX power level range test

This test samples the TX power level, compares it with the device’s applicable TX power
range and provides a verdict. For devices that operate with multiple lanes, each lane is
sampled and compared to the applicable TX power range. Additionally, this test reports both
the minimum and maximum TX power levels (in dBm) collected during the subtest. A pass
verdict is obtained if the measured TX power level is within the TX power range defined by
the device manufacturer. A fail verdict indicates that the pluggable is not operating at the
range specified by the manufacturer.

© 2020 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 6

 application note

5. Optical RX signal presence and power level range test

A physical loopback is required for this test, which validates the presence of an RX signal
and samples the optical RX power level. The test compares the obtained RX level with the
device’s applicable RX power range and provides a verdict. For devices that operate with
multiple lanes, each lane is sampled and compared to the applicable RX power range. This
test reports both the minimum and maximum RX power levels (in dBm). A pass verdict is
obtained if the measured RX power level is within the RX power range defined by the device
manufacturer.

6. Stress test
A physical loopback is required for this test, which validates the bit-error performance of
the optical module. The validation is performed at the highest rate/protocol supported by
the optical device. Additionally, the validation is performed with and without generation of a
frequency offset at the respective protocol boundaries. The user can configure the duration of
the test, and a passing verdict will be assigned to the test if the following conditions are met:
− No loss of signal
− No pattern loss
− Bit error count ≤ BER threshold
For devices operating at multiple lanes, if any lanes present a problem, this will result in a fail
verdict.

7. Excessive skew test

This test is only executed for the validation of CFP, CFP2, CFP4, QSFP+ and QSFP28 optical
devices. A physical loopback is required for this test, which measures the skew associated
to each physical coding sublayer (PCS) lane. iOptics automatically sets up an OTN BERT or
an EtherBERT test based on the highest rate supported by the device.
The skew threshold is also automatically configured by iOptics based on the rate/protocol
used. A pass verdict is assigned to the test when the highest measured skew is equal to
or less than the skew threshold. In the event of a fail verdict during the execution of any
subtest, the test is aborted, and the fault is reported to signal that the faulty transceiver
device should not be used.

Figure 6. Automated validation of transceivers using iOptics.

© 2020 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 7

 application note

Learn more
FTBx-88400NGE Power
Blazer - 400G multiservice
test solution
Get our poster:
400G technical poster

Summary
The dire need to properly qualify transceivers arises from the lack of maturity in the design
and manufacturing process. EXFO’s FTBx-88460 module is a unique solution that quickly and
easily validates 200G and 400G transceivers, including QSFP56-DD for 200G-based and OSFP
or QSFP-DD for 400G-based pluggables. Compatible with portable and rackmount platforms,
the module can be used for both field and lab applications allowing for optimal flexibility.

EXFO serves over 2000 customers in more than 100 countries.

To find your local office contact details, please go to www.EXFO.com/contact.
APPNOTE382.2EN 20/03 © 2020 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 8